The decision to build a firearms factory in Uherský Brod was made in mid-1936. After negotiations of the Ministry of National Defence with a group of armament companies the Board of the National Defence Governors decided about transfer of industry important for the country defence away from national borders. CZ (Ceská zbrojovka a.s.) has long been the most important Czech manufacturer of firearms, and at the same time, also one of the most significant arms factories in the world. The production programme of CZ consists of a balanced portfolio of weapons for the civilian market and service sector, complemented by supplies of high precision engineering products mostly for the automotive and aerospace industries.